BLOG #1- Night by Elie Wiesel

                      The first book that I read this summer break (which is sadly ending) was a sad, serious, but still amazing book by Elie Wiesel called Night. There were a few books on the list that had to do with the holocaust, so why did I pick this one? Night was an autobiography of a Jewish man and his time in the holocaust. I wanted to read an autobiography because you get to read every detail and feel each emotion that the author had. At times I felt I was right with Elie going through each miserable hardship, but of course I couldn't feel even an ounce of his pain. From the time he was leaving on a train to Auschwitz as a 15 year old boy, to the time he was laying in a hospital bed for two weeks wondering if he will live or die, I got to know what he did and felt along the way. Knowing what this man went through and came out as a survivor was truly remarkable.

                      Elie (or Eliezer) was the person narrating, the author, and the main character of his own book. This book is DEFINITELY not something you could relate to unless you too were a holocaust survivor. I know for a fact I have never endured the pain he felt. "Hunger was tormenting us; we had not eaten for nearly six days except for a few stalks of grass and some potato peels found on the grounds of the kitchens" (Location 1977). I can't relate to that! The worst pain I endure is probably just a little paper cut..... pretty pathetic. Honestly, I don't how hard it is to accept the fact that a parent died (SPOILER ALERT). Don't get me wrong this book was still amazing. It is just very difficult to find any text-to-self connections or anything that could relate to me in this book.

                        

                     Besides the fact that I can't really relate to Night, this book contains a lot of very important life lessons. 

1. The importance of family. - Throughout most of the book Eliezer was with his father at all times. Even when he was slowly dying if his father asked for some water he would immediately fetch it for him. 

2. Never give up no matter the situation. - In Elie's  case, his situation was just trying to live. Every hardship he managed to pull through. 

3. Be grateful for what you have. - Elie had nothing at this time in his life. "My father had a present for me: a half ration of bread..." (Location 1907). For him to consider a half ration of bread as a present obviously shows how much he appreciated it. 

                  I thoroughly enjoyed Night by Elie Wiesel. I think I would rate it 5 stars.  This book was very sad but I still wanted to read more because you had no idea what was going to happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good read!

                                                                     - Minha